Shoe with a vulcanized outsole



Dec. 13, 1966 J. s. SPATOLA 3,290,803

SHOE WITH A VULCANIZED OUTSOLE Filed Feb. 6, 1964 ZSheets-S'neet 1 INVENTOR. JOSEPH S. SPATOLA AT'IORNIL'Y Dec. 13, 1966 J. s. SPATOLA 3,290,803

SHOE WITH A VULCANIZED OUTSOLE Filed Feb. 6, 1964 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOSEPH S. SPATOLA United States Patent SHOE WITH A VULCANIZED OUTSOLE Joseph S. Spatola, 1200 Brunel St., Waycross, Ga. Filed Feb. 6, 1964, Ser. No. 342,931 3 Claims. (CI. 3614) This invention relates to shoes and more particularly to a shoe with a vulcanized outsole and method of making.

According to the invention, a conventional shoe upper is provided and flat lasted with a precemented conventional insole. A sheet of neoprene or similar rubber-like material is then die cut to the exact final shape of the margin of the molded outsole and is further die cut to provide thereon a solid heel portion and an integral bonding or anchoring shank extending forwardly of the solid heel portion. The die cutting of the neoprene sheet further provides a large contoured opening through the sheet forwardly of the solid heel portion and shank and this opening defines on the neoprene sheet an integral marginal welt which is continuous and has no joint or separation. The die cut neoprene sheet forms an intermediate sole in the finished shoe between the vulcanized outsole and the inturned flange of the shoe upper immediately below the insole. The intermediate sole may be prestitched near and inwardly of its margin to imitate the Goodyear stitch for ornamental purposes. If preferred, this prestitching may be omitted, in which case the intermediate neoprene sole will be narrower and will not project marginally beyond the shoe upper, nor will the outsole. The bottom face of the died cut intermediate sole with integral welt and solid heel portion is pregrooved to form a guide for the Littleway lock stitch or a similar stitching utilized to secure the intermediate sole to the shoe upper and insole. The bottom of the structure thus far assembled now has cement applied thereto and pancake rubber in the raw state is put on the mold and the shoe structure is pressed against the rubber and vulcanized to complete the shoe. The marginal edge of the die cut intermediate sole is the exact size of the margin of the finished shoe when applied to the vulcanizing machine. The vulcanizing machine includes an iron last onto which the shoe structure is transferred immediately after applying the vulcanizing cement to the bottom of the intermediate sole, whose margin, as stated, is the exact shape of the molding equipment. A perfect bond is achieved in the finished product between the neoprene intermediate sole and welt and the rubber outsole.

The advantages of the above method are considerable over conventional methods employing strip-type welting necessitating a joint in the welting and means to guide and position the welting during its application to the shoe structure. Most .coventional shoes having a vulcanized or molded outsole have no welt whatsoever and the rubber sole may be bonded rather poorly directly to the shoe upper. The present invention provides not only a superior appearance but effects a greatly improved bonding of the outsole to the shoe structure and eliminates the investment in the separate strip welt.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of the shoe upper and insole and the intermediate prestitched neoprene sole having solid heel portion and integral shank and welt,

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view showing the intermediate sole applied to the upper and insole with the Littleway lock stitch or the like.

3,290,803 Patented Dec. 13, 1966 FIGURE 3 is a further perspective view, partly broken away, showing the completed shoe after the vulcanizing of the rubber outsole to the intermediate sole,

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary cross section on line 44 of FIGURE 1 on an enlarged scale,

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged transverse vertical section taken on line 5-5 of FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 6 is a similar section taken on line 66 of FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of the intermediate neoprene sole according to a slight modification thereof, and

FIGURE 8 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 88 of FIGURE 7.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration are shown preferred embodiments of the invention, attention is directed first to FIGURES 1-6, wherein the numeral 10 designates a conventional work shoe upper formed of leather or the like and having a conventional insole 11 cemented to the bottom continuous inturned flange 12 of the upper. The numeral 13 designates generally a die cut intermediate sole formed of neoprene or the like and being of substantial thickness and having a joint-free contoured marginal edge 14 of the exact shape and size of the mold which produces the vulcanized outsole. The intermediate sole 13 has a solid heel portion 15 carrying an integral forwardly projecting shank 16 formed by the die cutting of the intermediate sole. The die cutting further provides a large contoured opening 17 in the intermediate sole defining an integral jointfree welt portion 18 of the desired width. The opening 17 extends at 19 on opposite sides of the shank 16. The bottom face of the intermediate sole 13 is pregrooved at 20 to provide a guide for the subsequent application of a Littleway lock stitch or the like. The intermediate sole 13 is prestitched at 21 to provide ornamental stitching similar to or imitating the Goodyear stitching. If this ornamental stitching is not employed, the outer margin of the intermediate sole 13 is simply made narrower throughout and this is entirely optional, although it is preferred to utilize a wider outsole and intermediate sole which will project beyond the shoe upper and carry the ornamental stitching 21.

FIGURE 2 shows the next step in the method, whereby the intermediate sole 13 is securely attached to the shoe upper and insole by means of an accurately formed line of Littleway lock stitching 22 or the like. In FIG- URE 5, the stitching 22 is shown engaged with the intermediate sole 13, inturned flange 12 and insole 11. The groove 20 serves as a guide for the application of the stitching 22 on the Littleway machine. The mounting of the intermediate sole 13 establishes accurately the final margin of the shoe sole as finally formed in the vulcanizing mold, not shown.

Suitable vulcanizing cement is now applied to the bottom of the structure shown in FIGURE 5. The structure is then transferred to the iron last of the vulcanizing machine and the marginal edge of the intermediate sole 13 will be the exact size and shape of the molding equipment. Raw pancake rubber is now placed upon the mold and the shoe structure of FIGURE 5 is pressed against the raw rubber and vulcanized thereto to form the molded rubber outsole 23 shown in FIGURE 6 conforming exactly to the marginal edge shape of the neoprene intermediate sole 13 and welt portion 18. The molded rubber constituting the outsole 23 is bonded securely to the bottom of the intermediate neoprene sole 13 including the full area of the solid heel portion 15, welt portion 18, and shank 16. The rubber of the outsole also fills the cavity or opening 17 including the portions 19 on opposite sides of the shank 16 as depicted The construction is identical to the intermediate sole 13 xcept for the fact that the inner margin of the integral velt portion 18' is beveled at 24 toward the top face of he intermediate sole so as to fit close to the shoe upper n assembly and provide a further mechanical interlockng with the vulcanized rubber of the outsole. In all ther respects, the intermediate sole 13 and its usage n the product and process is identical to the previouslylescribed sole 13.

In eifect, the intermediate element 13 or 13' contitutes a combined preformed welt and intermediate ole for mechanically locking and bonding the outsole most effectively to the shoe upper and for also renderng the entire manufacturing process more simplified and :conomical.

It is to be understood that the forms of the invention ierewith shown and described are to -be taken as preerred examples of the same, and that various changes 11 the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be re- :orted to, without departing from the spirit of the inven- .ion or scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A one-piece die cut neoprene intermediate sole for a shoe of the type having a leather upper and a molded -ubber outsole, said intermediate sole having a solid heel )ortion and an integral continuous welt portion free of oints and a shank integral with said heel portion and projecting forwardly thereof and spaced from the Welt portion on opposite sides thereof, said intermediate sole having a contoured through opening defining the inner margin of the integral welt portion and extending on opposite sides of said shank.

2. The invention as defined by claim 1, and wherein the intermediate sole has a continuous groove in its bottom face inwardly of and paralleling the margin of the intermediate sole to serve as a guide for stitching, and a line of ornamental stitching in the intermediate sole between said groove and the outer margin of the intermediate sole and paralleling the same.

3. The invention as defined by claim 2, and wherein the inner margin of said Welt portion is beveled toward the top face of the intermeditae sole.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,751,036 3/1930 Hooke et al. 3617 2,132,882 10/1938 Rigandi 3630 X 2,210,753 8/1940 Field 12142 2,574,582 11/1951 Rollman 36-l4 2,976,624 3/1961 Rollman 36-14 3,035,291 5/1962 Bingham 12-142 3,070,909 1/1963 Binder et a1 36--14 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,018,233 10/1952 France. 1,237,368 6/1960 France.

IORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

FRANK I COHEN, Examiner.

H. H. HUNTER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A ONE-PIECE DIE CUT NEOPRENE INTERMEDIATE SOLE FOR A SHOE OF THE TYPE HAVING A LEATHER UPPER AND A MOLDED RUBBER OUTSOLE, SAID INTERMEDIATE SOLE HAVING A SOLID HEEL PORTION AND AN INTEGRAL CONTINUOUS WELT PORTION FREE OF JOINTS AND A SHANK INTEGRAL WITH SAID HEEL PORTION AND PROJECTING FORWARDLY THEREOF AND SPACED FROM THE WELT PORTION ON OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF, SAID INTERMEDIATE SOLE HAVING A CONTOURED THROUGH OPENING DEFINING THE INNER MARGIN OF THE INTEGRAL WELT PORTION AND EXTENDING ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID SHANK. 